Evolution
by MTGlass
Summary: It’s the 21st century and a girl called Marian is living the life.She is in a re enactment group, the best in archery and the descendant of Robin Hood and Marian.What happens when she is sent back to 1192 to see her ancestors?Find out! CHAP 6 UP!
1. Time for a little competition

Evolution

(Robin Hood BBC) It's the year 2007 and a girl called Marian is living the life. She is in a re-enactment group, lives in a manor, the best in archery and… the descendant of Robin Hood and Maid Marian. What happens when she is sent back to 1192 to see her ancestors? Nothing normal of course!

Chapter one: Time for a little competition

From inside the walls of Locksley Manor, a huge crash can be heard as Lady Marian entered the hallway with a pile of armour being sent on top of her. Her butler, Gavin went after her.

"19 years old and STILL creates mischief" he muttered under his breath as he pulled her out of the rubble and looked at her crude clothing: tight black riding shorts, knee high brown leather boots with a light brown tunic. Her brown hair covered her face as she stood up and tried to blow it off.

"I am assuming miss is looking for her bow and arrow?" he said

"Yes I am! I was sure it was in the armoury… maybe in the closet..." she said as she opened a door opposite her

"NO miss No!" but it was too late. A pile of more junk fell on top of her…again. He reached for her again and pulled her up by her wrist

"Thanks Gavin"

"May I ask why miss is looking for her bow and arrow?"

"Well as you know we have a re-enactment fair today and there is an archery competition. I was hoping to get some practice in."

"Ah." He hid her bow and arrow from Lady Marian two days ago. She was using the house as the target as it was raining and he did not appreciate her making dents into the middle of the wall with several arrows. He looked outside. It was a clear sunny day. He decided it wouldn't hurt.

"Lady Marian, I believe they are in the top floor library"

"What are they doing there? I never go there… wait! Gavin!"

"Well you were making dents in the wall!"

"That's the seventh time this month!"

"Look at the wall!"

Marian looked at the wall. Several picture hanged strangely across the wall, trying their best to cover various cracks and holes.

"Hmmmm…I am sorry then. I will practice outside always"

"Thank you miss. Shall I fetch the bow and arrow?"

"Yes Gavin. And bring my horse, Black lighting around please"

"No problem. So we are planning to ride to the fair today?"

"Yes we are Gavin" and with that Gavin went to do his job.

Later on at the fair

The fair was set in a clearing of the old Sherwood Forest. Marian loved this place. She had heard so much about her ancestors and what they did. It made her feel proud to be who she was. She rode up to the clearing in her green hooded clock clinging to her body, and covering her face. On her back was sitting her magnificent bow that was carved with vines and flowers and a bunch of similarly carved arrows all done by herself.

When she reached the clearing, she tied her horse up and joined the crowd around an archery target with a balding man in costume shouting to the crowd,

"…And for all yer entertainment… The annual Archery competition! For first prize this year is the famous beautiful hand-crafted Onyx pedant. Believed to be magical, it is believed to tell the future and control time! So sign up if you think you have what it takes!"

People began to line up at the signing booth. Marian was very excited, she had just joined the groups a month ago and enjoyed the dressing up and feasts. When Marian reached the booth, a pale woman greeted her.

"And what be your name young girl?"

"Marian, daughter of Robin"

"Ooh! You have some very famous names there miss Marian"

"Yes I do"

"Well you will be number 10 to go. Do you have your own stuff?"

"Yes thank you"

"Well best of luck Miss Marian, Daughter of Robin!"

"Thank you again"

And she strode off to watch the other contestants.

Later

Many had missed the target, some only able to touch the end of the mark. Number nine was the closest so far reaching the line just below the bull's eye. It was now Marian's turn.

"And now may Marian, daughter of Robin stand up to the line!" said the announcer as Marian stood up on the platform and took out her black, carved bow and got ready to aim. She fired. It landed right in the bull's eye at top speed.

"Well it seems we have an automatic winner! Congratulations, Miss Marian!" said the announced as he handed to her the onyx pedant and shook her hand. The crowd cleared and cheering Marian and went of the other competitions. Marian however was so excited that she put the pedant around her neck and headed home. She came to her horse and was about the mount. That was until she was stopped by a man on a horse dressed in full costume. It took her a while to realise who it was.

"Gavin! What are you doing here?"

"I came to see the archery. Well done by the way."

"Thanks Gav. I'm going to head home now. Not much point attending now."

"You are right." She said as she mounted Black lighting and they headed off into the woods.

"I love this place Gavin"

"Yes Miss?"

"It's so peaceful and alive."

"Well it is the place of your ancestors"

It was unknown to them that at the word ancestors, the onyx pedant lighted up and turned a light purple. After about a couple of seconds of silence, Gavin noticed the pedant.

"Hmmmm…Miss?"

"…Yeah?"

"Is onyx meant to be purple?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean look at your pedant!"

Marian looked. The pedant was getting brighter and brighter

"What the bloody hell?"

"…Miss! You're fading!" His image of Marian was becoming grey

"No I am not!" she said "You are!" As she saw the same thing happen to Gavin

Then everything went white.

To be continued


	2. The one who beat Robin

Evolution Chapter two: "The one who beat Robin"

(My computer broke down so sorry this took long. Oh and this is set after brothers in arms. This story runs along the line if the Tattoo what Tattoo didn't exist and so forth…)

Marian had closed her eyes from the bright light. She felt herself be jolted around until it came to a stop. The onyx pedant turned into a small sapphire set in a sliver cross on a chain as she landed. Marian slowly opened her eyes and looked around. It looked just like Sherwood Forest except it was a bit smaller. The trees looked younger. She then realised she was on her own. She swivelled her head around for her servant.

"…Gavin? Hello? Is there anyone here?"

Then she heard a "nay" and a crashing of brushes. There came out Gavin covered in branches just hanging onto the horse. Marian held back laughter.

"Yeah, yeah you can laugh"

"Well thank goodness for that"

"Do you know where we are My Lady?"

"Well it looks like Sherwood Forest but I can't hear the fair or see much"

"Well we must keep our hoods up and search for help"

"Good idea but the problem is I'm hungry"

"Here"

Gavin handed Marian a sack that was full of toffee apples.

"Where did you get these?"

"They were on my horse"

"They weren't there before Gavin"

"Hey look!"

Gavin pointed to her belt. Apart from the bow and arrow that lay on her back, a sword was attached to her riding shorts along with a collection of other sacks the same colour. They held: a dagger, some herbs, a safety harness and some coins

"This is as weird as what happened to dear Allan"

"...Miss?" They started trotting in a direction across the woods

"You remember Allan? He disappeared when he was twelve. I was ten at the time. It will be nine years to the day tomorrow. He was my best friend you know. We played sword fighting all the time."

"Ah yes. You two made the living room come down from insisting on using real swords and shoving them into the wall"

"We were just testing their sharpness"

"If your father was around he would have made sure you never went near weapons"

"Yeah but he isn't around is he? Just like Allan"

A tear went down her face. She was clinging to her necklaces: One was one side of a best friends' heart with the word "best" in it, one was of a silver sword and the other of course the emerald cross.

"Oh miss um… I can't deal with a crying woman"

"No I'm fine let's just find our way home" she said wiping her cheek.

"Well let's keep on our guard because if we came here and are given swords. Then there must be some very dodgy people around here"

Just at that moment, Sophia or "Jack" was hiding in the bushes with Much, Will, Robin, Little John and Allan. Robin and Allan weren't very interested. They both lost things precious to them in the forms of Allan's little brother and Robin's love. They weren't in the mood for watching two "men" ride through the woods.

"Look they have food!" Much said

"And money" Sophia replied

"And food!" Much answered back.

"Come on you guys! Let's go" Sophia said and with that started heading off with much to stop the "men".

"Robin! Allan!" Will said. Both went out of their daze. "Come on!" and they followed.

Marian and Gavin were going along peacefully until a man stopped in their way.

"You know you have to pay a tax for going along this forest" then several men surrounded the two. Marian went to speak but Gavin got in first.

"Why may I ask?"

"Because all must donate something to the poor" another man said which Marian thought was a woman instead. She was confused. All were in medieval clothing. Gavin kept on speaking

"What if we don't want to?"

"There is no choice" They pulled out bows and arrows along with sticks and swords. Marian wasn't paying attention. Her head was turned to look at the trees. Something wasn't right. Gavin started coughing for her attention.

"Huh ummmmm.."

Marian still didn't notice

"We can't wait all day. Get off the horses." Marian turned around. She didn't feel like fighting today anyway so she got off the horse. Plus she would get back her horse later. Gavin nervously followed suit

"Will tie them up" and another man came with rope and tied them to two trees next to each other.

"Thank you for your kind donation gentlemen. You are free to carry on" and with that they left with the horses.

After a while had gone, the two were left and Gavin tried to talk to Marian

"They thought I was a man"

"Why didn't you do anything?"

"Well I didn't feel like fighting"

"But now we are tied to a tree"

"No you are" said Marian just let the ropes go.

"What? All that time…"

Marian held up her dagger and cut off Gavin from the tree.

"Well we had to make them feel like they won"

"Ohhhhhh" he rubbed his hands from the rope burn

"Let's go. I think they went that way"

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll tell ya on the way" She picked up her bow and packet of arrows they left on the ground and started to run in the direction they left.

---Later---

Much was examining the toffee apples.

"It's like a cunning trick. It looks good so you go and get it but it turns out you can't bite it" Sophia took the toffee apple off him and with her knife cut it open and began to eat it.

"Oh" was all he said.

Robin was contemplating by the fire with Allan. Allan was playing with a chain of some sort. Little John was talking to Sophia and Will was looking at one of the arrows he took from the men. It was black with carvings of vines with a little shield by the arrow head. At that moment the two hooded figures they robbed appeared beside Will.

Marian told Gavin to do all the talking. She wanted to appear as a man and since her voice didn't do that she got Gavin to talk instead.

"Well we didn't actually donate as donating means to give freely but we will give freely if you beat my friend in archery." Everyone looked around as Robin stood up.

"Can't your friend speak?"

"He had his tongue cut off when he was a boy"

He looked at him.

"What are your terms then?"

"After one arrow shot by each, the whole narrow closest to the mark wins. If we win, we get our stuff, if we lose you keep the stuff and if there is a tie, you keep the stuff"

Robin was a bit suspicious but was feeling a bit bored

"Done" and he shook the man's hand.

"Who decides the mark?"

"We do since you get to win if we tie"

"Fine"

"So mark, what's it to be?" and Marian under her cloak pointed to a tree far away.

"Are you sure?" Gavin said nervously. Marian nodded her head.

"Fine by me" said Robin and both lined up on the spot with their bows.

"That mark is going to lose" said Much as Robin fired a perfect bull's eye. Everyone hooted.

"Looks like an easy one" Robin said. Marian smiled and aimed for the sky and fired.

"That was a silly thing to do" Much said

"No look!" said Sophia. The arrow soared through the air and landed in the tree below Robin's. But instead of just landing there, it crushed Robin's arrow in pieces, leaving only the arrowhead remaining. Much stood speechless.

"I believe we won"

"You didn't win!" said Much

"Ah but we did. After one arrow shot by each, the WHOLE arrow closest to the mark wins, not the arrowhead"

"But that's cheating!

"It is only cheating if stated in the rules. It wasn't."

"Fine…Much, give them back their stuff"

"WHAT?"

Marian made some sign language.

"But Mark says you can keep the food and some coins. But we must have some money and horses."

"Can we keep the hard apples as well?"

Marian thought for a moment, and then did a series of hand movements.

"Yes you can and they are called toffee apples"

"WHOOHOO! Thank you Mark!"

Marian was still doing some signs

"No problem. But he would like one though" Gavin said as they mounted. Sophia handed Marian a toffee apple.

"Good day" Gavin said as they waved.

"Bye" they said to them

"They seem nice enough" said Much

"They planned to do that." Replied Allan

"What do you mean?"

"An old friend of mine used to do the same thing when we were young when were fighting over bread

"Where are they now?" said Robin

"Dead I think"

"I'm sorry" said Sophia

"It will be nine years tomorrow"

---To be continued---


	3. Add a little explosion to your life

Evolution - A Robin Hood BBC fanfiction

Chapter 3: Add a little explosion into your life

Lady Marian and Gavin carried onwards on the two horses. Lady Marian was unusually looking very pale. Gavin kept trying to understand why there was a violin and a french accordion on his horse, Cream Pie.

"There is so much stuff here! Look! A bag of beans and a harmonica! There is something..."

"You still don't see do you Gavin" Marian said. She was clutching the sword necklace to her body.

Gavin turned to her.

"If we are going to come across every bowsman who looks like your father and cry, we might as well cellotape your eyes!"

Gavin quickly shook his head and added,

"No offense intended Miss. I don't know what came over me"

"No! Did you see the way they were dressed Gav?" "Yeahhhh..."

"They were dressed like we are"

She was waving her arms and pointing back from the way they came to Gavin, waiting for an answer. "Sorry I don't get it my lady"

She sighed.

"If we are in what looks like a different place and we meet people who could not have possibly gone to the reinactment fair, then that means only one thing..."

Gavin was ignoring her now. He knew it was going to be some boring fact he already knew. But he was wrong.

"We have gone back in time"

--

Meanwhile, Allan was thinking of his old childhood friend. A girl who hated dresses if his mind served right. He couldn't remember much, only tiny little memories of when they made bets and competitions. Alot of the memories involved her father teaching him how to use a bow and arrow. Somehow one day they all disappeared. He never found out why. But something seemed not right about the two travelers. Allan thought that "Mark" was her but then dismissed it as Will shook Alan snapping him out of his trance.

"Come on! We are going to Locksley Hall"

--

"No offense Miss but you are losing your mind! It must be the toffee apples" Gavin said quickly. Lady Marian had now taken down her hood and dismounted Black Lighting. She lead the black horse to the left hand side, and began to inspect the possesions they had mysteriously aqquired.

"I suggest that we find out what time period it is then if we have..." Gavin started to wave his arms spookily whilst saying "...gone back in time"

"Hey Gav! I found a guitar here! We could have a jam down!"

"You weren't listening to me there were you?"

Lady Marian turned around. She had a bright smile on her face. She certainly knew how to change from depressed to happy very quickly.

"Nope! Although since we have gone back in time, I suggest we try some of the "Local specialities" don't you?"

"You have seriously gone bonkers my Lady"

"Ahhh but you see Gav!..." She pulled Gavin closer

"I have never been more sane in my life. Plus there have stranger things that have happened to us! Remember when we thought I lost my legs?"

"And when we ate that radioactive cream-pie..."

"Preseisly! Also do you remember when our nightmares became a reality for 1 week?"

Gavin felt a chill down his spine

"Ohhh I could not stand those pink spiders"

"Anyway Gav, this is my idea. If we say... pretend to be the royalty of another country for a couple of days and trick the "boss" around here, we could try and find out some mysterious things that history has not written!"

"Like what?"

"Well if my calulations are correct on time period, the REAL story of Robin Hood"

"Fine then! Let's just "pretend" to be royalty, lie to some ruthless boss, try to find out about Robin Hood, try some stuff they have, not be imprisoned and or tortured, have a jam down and go home in time for dinner is what you are saying isn't it?"

"Well if it is good, we might spend a week here! Plus you need a holiday"

"But you have a bet with Gisbourne tomorrow! Remember? You bet the whole of your inheritance on it?"

"What was the bet again?"

Who can drink two bottles of window cleaner and brake fluid and shoot an arrow 100 feet the closest to the mark"

"Oh that's easy! Nah silly prat Gisbourne can wait! I want to go History searching" And with that, Marian took a fiddle, handed Gavin the Guitar and Mounted Black Lighting.

"Gisbourne is your boyfriend miss"

"He needs space. It won't work if there is no space. And besides this...It will be like Doctor Who! and now we must think of a country to rule..." "Um, Germany? We can rule a province?"

"Might as well say we are from the south"

"Sounds good to me! You can be lord Mark and I your father Lord Gavin"

"Hmmmmm... as long as I don't have to wear a dress that's fine by me but I will have to cut my hair then" She looked at her shoulder length hair sighing

"No you don't!" he grabbed a wig out of the bag

"gav your'e brill you know!" Lady Marian put the short brown wig on her head, tucking in her own hair into it.

"How do I look? This is a GOOD wig! Doesn't itch"

"I thought I was looking at a boy"

"Thanks gav

"Mark" began to play the fiddle on black lighting

"Let's see where the road takes us"

"So miss?"

"Yup?"

"Does it mean those outlaws are..."

"Oh yup"

"Golly. THAT'S why the archery!"

"Had to see which one Robin was. Man he looks better than I thought. But gav you need to start saying 'son'. Shame he is related."

"clever MY SON but i think a romance in 12th century behind your boyfriend's back is shameful."

"fine then DAD...ooh ummm... can I just say gav?"

"Well"

"No! Have to get over it. Let's go d-d-d-dad!"

And off they went along the road, playing their instuments as they went.

"Although we could say I'm the doctor and you are Rose Tyler, Gavin"

And with that Mark heard grumblings from her servant and began to chuckle as they rode on.

--

"Hey Allan, you alright?"

"umph"

"what?"

"I SAID YEAH. I'm fine"

Diaq was worried about Allan. And Robin. Neither of them were taking their loss too well. Allan's lost of his brother, and Robin's loss of Marian to GUy of all people. At this point, Guy was being dragged back to the hideout by an angry Robin, who was kicking him every couple of steps.

"want to talk about it?"

"YeeeeNO!"

"Fine then"

And it was at that point a huge boom! was heard off in the distance followed by the smell of fire and screams.

--

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT MISS"

"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT POWDER WAS DYNEMITE!"

"WHEN YOU BLEW UP THE HALL!"

"WELL I..."

"THEN AFTER THAT, YOU HAD TO FEED IT TO THE CHICKENS!"

"let's not picking over details. what is done is done."

"PICKING OVER DETAILS! WE ARE BEING DRAGGED TO PRISON BY SOLDIERS...FOR BLOWING UP A BUILDING! THAT IS NOT DETAILS"

"THEY ARE IN MY EYES AND WE WOULDN'T BE BEING DRAGGED OFF IF YOU WENT AND GOT THE SOLDIERS HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE"

Gates and roofs were on fire, soldiers trying to calm down residents nearby and in the middle of it, two big soldiers were dragging off Mark and Gavin backwards and onto tblack lighting and cream pie. The horses were tied to the soldier's horses and led up to Nottingham. Gavin was screaming the whole way there.

"I DON'T WANNA DIE, I DON'T WANNA BE TORTURED, I DON'T WANNA DIE, IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I AM NOT TO BLAME..."

Mark was quite peaceful sitting on her horse playing on the fiddle. She thought about running away, but thought against it as she was a bit tired. She thought about saying she was a girl, but realised she would need to get into a dress then. She chose to stay there.

--

Allan looked back at the burned down locksey hall and sighed as people ran around trying to calm down the flames. No one known was burnt in the fire.

"Who would cause such havoc?" said Will.

Allan was sure it was Robin, well why wouldn't it be? Then Djaq said

"Who is screaming?"

Robin had turned around to see the burning Locksley hall and the people surrounding it. He didn't know how to react. Then he saw the two familiar horses being dragged. One of them screaming for mercy, the other playing some sort of instrument in sadness.

"We have to help them!" Much said

"They will executed! and will be blamed for this also" Will said pointing to Guy

"Not stopping. finish this first" Robin said pointing back to carrying Guy back towards the forest.

"You can't leave them to die! They gave me toffee apples and stuff" said Much

"They could be the sherrif's men for all we know" Robin replied

"But what if they are not. You can torture Guy but I am going to rescue them" said Much

"Me too" said Allan.

"That's the first proper thing I heard you say today Allan" said Will

"You can do your rescuing but I am going to find out some information" and with that Robin stomped off dragging Guy. Everybody else stood speechless until

"Okay then let's go and rescue some toffee apple people!"

--

"I'm trapped in a cell! I'm trapped in a dirty cell! I'm trapped in a smelly dirty cell! I'm trapped here and it's all your fault!...with respect err...miss"

As Gavin had so lightly put it, they were trapped in a cell together, in the dungeon of Nottingham Castle. Mark was staring at the ceiling as her manservant had continued about life and how it was her fault stuck in this situation. Granted that she did blow up what the guard said was Locksley hall, with dynamite she claimed to be chicken feed and a match to burn back together the rope on her horse. No one was hurt of course, but black lighting got a huge fright. She still had her belt full of gear in bundles and all her limbs so that was alright. She leaned against the cell door and pulled out a wooden harmonica from her belt. New things were appearing all the time! Gavin continued to complain

"...Some butlers get hardly the stuff I get! Imagine the embarrasment I get at the aristocratic butler's christmas party when I tell them what I did in the year! And now I am stuck in a cell that smells of wee because of this and it is the 12TH CENTURY! I am stuck in a 12TH CENTURY, dirty, wee smelling..."

Mark looked across from her and saw a little man in the cell, and he looked terrible. Gavin was now in a world of his own

"I am now not going to talk! it is just terrible." And gavin crossed his arms and lent on the wall with his back to Mark.

"Oi!" Marian called to the man. He looked up

"Yeah you!"

"What?" he said quietly

"What's ya name?"

"John"

"Hi John! I'm called Mark"

"That's nice"

"How long have you been here"

"Too long"

He wasn't much of a talker but then beggars can't be choosers. There were 3 other cells she could see from her cell. Each with their own little person huddled up in a corner. And 3 was just enough. She knew there were heaps more out of her sight, but 3 was good for now. When the guard left, Mark walked over to Gavin

"I'm sorry Gav, I really am."

"I suppose you were just being you miss"

"Enough of the wishy washy talk now. I have a plan"

Gavin raised an eyebrow at Mark. And on that note she walked back to the gate and whispered to John, handing over her bag of coins she had whilst saying

"Are you musical at all?"

To be continued


	4. The Party Thrower

Chapter four: I'm a Party thrower

"How are we going to rescue them?" said Will

"Things are a bit hard without his majesty sorting out his girl problems"

Little John punched Allan's arm for that comment.

"Oi! I didn't mean it in a BAD way"

"You shouldn't mean it in any way" replied Little John

"Let's turn back to the rescue at hand. Without Robin at the moment as Allan had pointed out, things are going to be a little harder. But we must do it." continued Will

"Why?" said Much

"I need to ask about these arrows. There...different. Different wood and there is something inside. I can feel it! And look at these carvings"

Everybody bent inwards to look at the arrow he had brought out to show to them. Will was right. The arrow was heavier, a darker wood and vines covered the arrow shaft. The shield at the arrowhead was also unusual: four initials carved in boxes crossing two arrows and a noose. The letters: M, A, R and G.

"Marg, Maaarg, Marrrrg, ma.."

"You can stop that now Much"

"How can you shoot an arrow like that? It's too heavy, and would probably veer off in another direction when you shoot it. Only a fool would use it" said Diaq.

"Or a fool with toffee apples"

"I suppose"

While everyone kept on talking, Allan noticed something else on the arrow buried in the vines. It was a half a heart with the word "best" written on it.

Allan looked at his own chain hanging on his neck at the moment.

His heart said "friends"

--

The bag of coins hang in the centre of the prison cell, held up by a pair of calm, collected (not to mentioned explosion mark covered) hands.

John looked at the bag. He heard the clang of coins inside, that would feed his family for months! He could pay his taxes, and eat!

"Ye,yea,yeah I am musical. well i can play..."

"Well then! We have a deal!"

"What?"

She took the bag back as the guard returned past. She shuffled closer to John and in a very low whisper said

"We are going to get out of here so you are going to need this to..

--

"You can not make me do this father!"

"You must my son if you want to win Locksley's inheritance"

"But father..."

"Do you contradict your Father's orders?"

"N...n...no"

"Then do it. Locksley and her retched family are known for their loss in concentration when angry. Along with the fact that they like the idea of killing themselves. Not that I blame them. Make that call now Guy!"

Back in the 21st century, Guy of Gisbourne was now holding his mobile in his father's library. He was dressed in all black: black skinny jeans, black shirt and black converses. He didn't want to do this to his Marian. After all that she had been though: her mother and her father, allan...

He pushed up his black shirt sleeves up to his elbows and ruffled his hair. His hands were sweaty. He tried to wipe them on his skinny jeans but it didn't work for long. He stared at his motorola at the contact list and flicked down till he found Marian.

Guy took a deep breath.

He decided to sit down on the leather couch and watched his father with his crazy grin sitting in the chair opposite him. Guy could tell his patience was starting to wear thin.

He stared at her name. He felt his thumb trace over the call button.

Problem was he LIKED Marian. _Her quirkiness, her playfulness, her..._

"What are you waiting for? You have seen the way she treats you. She hardly recognises your existence! So much for being in love when she goes off places and never tells you where she is. All she does is mope and beat you at sports! Don't you want to win this for once? Be a man for goodness sakes! Call her now!"

Dumping a girl on the phone showed lack of sense and balls in Guy's opinion. But that was his father's point he guessed. Dump her, make her so angry that she loses concentration and win the bet when she is too angry to shoot. Truth was he preferred his idea of replacing his brake fluid with water instead. That way he could keep Marian.

He pushed the call button.

His head was full of regrets. _Why do this eh Guy? She said she loves you you git. You said you love her. What's the problem? _

_She is always there for you whenever you need her. She..._

The phone went to answer-phone. Guy cleared his throat.

_You know you are going to regret it..._

"Marian...It's me Gizzy" she always called him Gizzy. _He found that cute_...He stopped his thoughts and continued

"Marian, it's...it's over. I'm sorry but I can't continue this relationship the way it is. There can be no solution or working out to fix it. It's gone. I'm sorry"

He hung up quickly and put his head in his hands

"Now that wasn't hard was it eh Son?"

Guy just groaned into his hands

"You don't need that ungrateful wrench. All she does is bask in the glory of the stupid past. That's exactly what you are doing now. Now bask in the present. There are better girls than those who have a phobia of dresses"

All he could think about was when they first got together...

_**The tall Locksley Manor covered in ivy vines loomed over as he walked up to the door in his tuxedo with his dad.**_

"_**never liked these Locksleys. But I will give to them that they throw the biggest parties in the universe at stupid points in time. I mean why a party for Elephants tonight?"**_

"_**The Locksleys? As in Robin Hood?"**_

"_**Precisely! The very one and stupid only. The great line of Robin is running short now though"**_

"_**What?"**_

_**They tapped on the door with the knocker. It was a lion holding in his mouth an arrow shaped in a circle**_

"_**There is only one Locksley left thank goodness. Lady Marian of Locksley. Rumor is that her father killed himself in front of her at the age of 11 shouting that she was a mistake though the screams"**_

"_**Wow...that's..."**_

"_**Not surprising. I thought he did the right thing though. We went to his funeral if you remember but you were asleep most of the time. So was I actually... The family is famous for being suicidal. But listen this don't think too much if you find she seems a bit weird and STAY WITH ME AT ALL TIMES. Apparently she is so eccentric that the queen pardoned her from applying to palace rules because they got so tired of telling her to wear a dress when she visited "**_

_**The door opened and there was a stiff butler who turned his head inwards to show them in. Then in a boom-crashing voice he shouted**_

"_**Lord Guy and Guy of Gisbourne! Welcome to Locksley Manor"**_

_**The huge place was filled with people in various types of dress holding glasses and chatting to each other. Ice sculptures, fondue fountains and all sorts of things were there. He could see the table of the dining room to the left of him in a separate room. It was huge! He followed his father inwards as his dad walked through the masses of people to the staircase that circled to the room. There she was in black skinny jeans, a white ruffled top and a long dark green trench coat and her riding boots smiling brightly at the two. Her clear green eyes shook him. In a rich deep tone she said**_

"_**Glad you could make it to the party"**_

_**She bowed rather than curtsied to them to which they both also did so. He found that strange. He then remembered what he said. She continued to say**_

"_**We haven't meet properly I know but you did attend my father's funeral so I wanted to meet you so to speak since you knew my father"**_

"_**Kind of you to invite us Lady Marian.." he father said**_

"_**Oh call me Marian such formalities can get annoying at times. Anyway you can't be personal with someone when they keep calling you my lady"**_

"_**rather"**_

"_**And you must be the other guy" she said to him holding out her hand. He took it and with that she gave the roughest handshake he ever felt.**_

"_**Nice to meet you Marian"**_

_**She laughed. Strange.**_

"_**Very nice to meet you too. Now enjoy the party Guys! Get it? Guy, Guys? oh doesn't matter. Just have fun!"**_

_**With that she winked at them and ran back up the stairs and disappeared.**_

"_**You know what son?"**_

"_**what father?"**_

"_**She is weirder than I thought."**_

"_**She does seem a bit unusual"**_

"_**A BIT UNUSUAL? Oh I can see that love look on your face son. Don't think it. It would never work, and imagine what life was like with her there prancing about in suits laughing at strange things ignoring you"**_

"_**I wasn't thinking anything. I will be fine"**_

_**LATER**_

_**They had dinner, a meal of simple food with extraordinary tastes that he would never forget. He always saw her here and there as she sat across from him and his father, eating mainly very quickly and talking to Prince Harry and William beside her. Prince William and Harry? **_

_**Then a voice whispered into his ear**_

"_**She might be loony but does she have connections"**_

"_**A lot of them"**_

"_**Hmm..."**_

_**He could tell he was thinking something about her. He knew it.**_

_**They danced. Oh did they dance indeed to music anybody wanted to yell out. Mainly sing-a-longs that some people to the left were drunkenly shouting. He was made by his father not to participate but he wanted to dance. However weird it would damage Gisbourne image. All his father did was talk**_

"_**The Locksleys are also famous for betting too, and not just the simple toss a coin either. Limbs, houses, countries even this family have betted on. This Marian has bet her house more than once and her prized bow and arrow over a kit kat bar."**_

_**They sat at the bar in the corner set in the dance hall. All his father did was talk but then while he went to the toilet, she pulled his arm from no where and took him to the dance floor.**_

"_**Feel like dancing?"**_

"_**You are on"**_

_**They danced for ages, laughed and joked not noticing his father searching for them in the crowd. She was cheerful, playful and a good dancer. Nothing like what was depicted by her father. By the end of We will Rock You, they walked out onto a balcony off the side of the dining room with drinks in their hands, laughing**_

"_**Your a good dancer you know Guy"**_

"_**Why thank you very much. You are not bad yourself"**_

_**They leaned on the rail of the Balcony as the red curtains waved in and out as the wind pushed them. They looked at the view: Hills and trees flittered the view shown by the light of the moon and the millions of stars that twinkled above. He had a idea.**_

"_**Fancy a bet?"**_

_**She turned around to him with a grin. Her green eyes sparkling.**_

"_**always. What is your terms?"**_

_**He pulled out a coin from his pocket **_

"_**I win, I get to kiss you"**_

_**Her eyebrows raised**_

"_**You win..."**_

"_**I get your drink and that coin. You are on Guy"**_

_**He smiled. He flipped the coin and caught it, placed it on his hand and covered it**_

"_**Heads" she said**_

_**He opened it. Tails. Fantastic.**_

"_**Looks like I win. And I was under the impression that you always won and hated losing."**_

_**She placed her drink on the ledge and wrapped her arms around his neck whilst whispering**_

"_**Really? Cause I didn't mind losing this bet"**_

_**And with that they kissed. Her lips tasted like strawberry unusually when she was drinking a banana cocktail...didn't matter. He held her and brought her closer. It seemed to last forever, lit by the stars, cradled by the night and lifted by the moon.**_

_**When they parted, all she said was**_

"_**I'm still taking your drink though"**_

He could still taste the strawberry on his lips. It seemed to last forever, just like that kiss. It was worth the yelling he got when they were found by his father just minutes later. Oh was it worth it. If only he could find out where she was now and ask her to forgive that message he sent to her mobile and things be okay. Damn his father, dictating his life...

_**--**_

"_**...**_to.."

Marian felt a vibration in a her pocket.

It was her mobile phone. _Why does it work here in 1192?_

She took it out of her pocket under the belt, the black phone Gizzy gave her for her birthday. She in turn gave him a night out at a restaurant and a laptop. He liked his technology. She really liked the phone a lot...and Gizzy too.

She looked at the phone and it was a call from him under 'not important'. She gave him two sim cards to call from, one important and one unimportant or 'don't answer this cause my father is here ANNOYING ME to make me do something'. But he always forgot which was which. It would have worked but it never did. She turned from John to prevent any early invention of the cell phone or being called a witch, and sent the call to her answer-phone.

She placed it back in her pocket and turned back to John who eyes went wide.

"It's...a little distraction I have created to get us out of here um...I was just fixing it a bit"

His eyes relaxed

"Now back to the plan..."

_She hoped that the call wasn't important or anything._

--To be continued--

(Plus I will bring 5 up soon I promise!

NEXT TIME: THE ESCAPE JOB!)


	5. Escape Job I: Want you back for timtams

Chapter five: The Escape Job Part one

There was so much stuff that needed to be included in this chapter, so I decided to divide it up into two parts which I am loading up over two days to make up for my time spent away from the writing pad.

I HATE EXAMS

enjoy!

"What? You can not be serious my la...er son! All that plan will do is get us some funny looks from the guards and torture! You can not expect people to fall for that?" Gavin whispered. He couldn't believe what he heard Mark speak to John

"Of course it will work! I know people and if there is one thing that will work, it's this. They will only want to watch us! The only it can go wrong is if someone stops smiling" Mark whispered back to Gavin. At this point in time, he was leaning against the back wall of the cell, arms crossed and staring straight at Mark. He was holding a guitar in his hand, something he still wondered how it got into his pocession, but then everything was strange he realised when you work for who he works for. Mark sighed and walked towards Gavin, eventually leaning beside him on her side.

"...And it's either that or your womanly wiles Gavin"

Gavin started choking as Marian laughed loudly. Then the dungeon cell opened, followed by a short squirmy man with a set of keys walking through, leading behind him two people: A bald man and a woman. Mark wasn't paying attention though. Mark groaned as she put up her hood and tidied up her appearance to hide her feminine features. Gavin was gasping for breath, it sounded like though, with Mark mistook for him not having his inhaler on him because guards thought it could be a weapon. A weapon! Yet they were allowed to bring in a guitar...Mark couldn't contain her laughter at the fact as the three approached the cell doors.

"Oh lord" was all Gavin said, whilst nudging Mark with his elbow constantly.

Mark stopped laughing. The three people stood there, a shriveled man Mark remembered as the key-keeper, a bald man with horrible teeth (that reminded her of a dodgy car sales-man she met once) and a woman. She looked at her. It was like looking in the mirror, with a dress. Mark screwed up her face. The only difference (apart from dress sense) was the eyes. Hers seems like they hid something she couldn't quite put her hands on. Mark always believed that the eyes were the "window to your soul" so to speak. It was obvious that the woman was THE Maid Marian, although it looked like she had just been crying, or had just been rubbing her eyes to make it look like that. Mark was leaning to the latter.

"These were two arrested for the heinous crime of blowing up Locksley Hall Sheriff" the key keeper said

Ah.

The Sheriff of Nottingham.

_Bollocks_.

"I have a bad idea about this my lady" whispered Gavin inside mark's ear as they slowly straightened up against the back wall.

"...We presume that they are responsible for the kidnapping of your husband -to-be Maid Marian" the man continued, who was trying hard to look evil. Although in Mark's opinion, he just looked like a dirty man. Then realisation hit her...hard...with hockey sticks.

Mark leapt up to the cell bars and in the most gruff voice she could muster, said

"Why in the world would we want to take your husband to be? I don't even know who he is!"

She thought about this, and Mark was sure that Robin hood was her husband to be, but he was an outlaw! Which meant that the husband to be was someone else. And she was sure that THAT was Maid Marian...something was very wrong. The silence that had grasped the jail cells was interrupted when Maid Marian spoke.

"NO. These people are not of Robin Hood. They couldn't be. They do not have tags, anything and I could be quite sure they are only some villagers causing disturbance. They wouldn't be the ones who took...guy"

she started sobbing. The sobbing was definitely fake, thought Mark, and also she had a lighter and more airy voice compared to herself. But what was more worrying was the name she said. Guy? Maid Marian is supposed to be with a Robin not a Guy!

"Guy? As in GUY OF GISBOURNE?" her voice was starting to raise higher in pitch as she had got louder, which she tried to combat by clearing her throat in the deepest tone possible.

"No questions my little friends" The man beside the sheriff said

Apart from this, Maid Marian nodded in a pathetic way.

"Oops my son." said Gavin turning to Mark. His face seemed a bit worrying too. Gavin had stopped leaning on the wall now and was impeccably straight, as if he was standing to attention in the army.

Maid Marian stopped sobbing. Well...fake sobbing and turned to them, as the Sheriff obviously started to sigh at the cry. By the looks of it, Marian wasn't fooling anyone, well at least not Mark. The Sheriff was now smiling like that sales-man again as he clasped his hands behind his back and walked closer to the bars.

Mark had to think of something to get rid of them, otherwise the plan would flop completely. Having the Sheriff of Nottingham here would make sure the guards were doing their job...well you would when your boss was there wouldn't you? It would blow the plan to bits

"Why did you burn Locksley hall? And do be truthful for I don't take lightly to lying..." The Sheriff asked

Then it occurred to Mark...

_Be. an. Idiot._

_Here goes..._

"It was a mistake"

"A mistake riiiight..."

_Right...show-time, what annoys a Sheriff? Let's try 90 miles per hour talk..._

"Well...yeah. I mean I was given this powder right? Although I don't know where I got it from or WHO..ooh... anyway And my horse Had some rope attached to it so I got a flame to melt the rope together to stop unravelling right? ANd then because I was always a dope with chicken feed OH MY GOD as I told my friend Rich when we went to the shops once as you might know last summer we went to a fair and..."

"That's enough!" said the Sheriff

_Perfect._

"Alright keep your teeth in!"

_It worked! Lollies on the House!_

"I feel like a hanging...hang them tomorrow"

_Not so perfect_

Mark's hidden face sunk. Marian started to protest

"You can't hang them for that! They..."

"Enough Marian I am helping you with your domestic problem so you better be quiet concerning your lovey-dovey from here on"

Marian stopped talking.

Mark just looked at her.

_What the hell are you doing woman? You are letting a man boss you around like that? Fight him! Kick him where the sun don't shine! Do something!_

She just turned around and left the cells behind the two men. After they left, Mark had got very angry indeed

--

"Best friends"

"What?"

"It must be her! Friends! We were best friends!"

"Okay I'm lost now Allan. Let's just back up the horses and look them in the eye okay?"

"What kind of a saying is THAT?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"It makes no bloody sense John!"

"Oh EVERYONE'S a critic...'

--

"Pathetic!"

"With respect my son this is the Medieval age"

"Still! Talk about a damsel in distress! Why is she marrying Gisbourne! Do you know what that means?"

"What?"

"It would mean I'm dating some distant cousin at the moment"

"That did occur to my mind but I do think that we are over..."

"Well I am not letting this happen. Not this or the hanging"

Gavin just sighed as Mark chucked him a tube of liquid

"Back to the plan. That's the acid. We need that to last for us, John and the three others"

"That won't cover a small biscuit!"

"Fine then"

Mark then searched through her pockets until she found three more similar sized bottles. She passed two to Gavin and one she rolled to John who grabbed the bottle. Along with that she threw over the sack of coins

"There you go. Now you know what to do with that sack and liquid?"

John nodded and began to pour the liquid on the hinges of his cell door, as Gavin did the same. John watched, amazed as the acid began eating the iron.

"Okay now Gavin call the other three and pass me that guitar. Here, have the harmonica."

Gavin did so as quietly as possible

"Okay then! Let's get out of here! I am sick of whispering" Mark whispered

--

"Keep quiet Much! You are blowing our cover!"

"Like YOU are quiet Allan!"

"I'm not the one who is eating that apple thing while we're sneaking into the castle"

"It's called a to...OW MY TEETH! I THINK A BROKE A TOOTH"

"Quiet you two" tapped Will on the side of the Hay wagon filled over the top with hay and supported by thick wooden blocks, as they approached the gates of the castle. They were stopped by two guards who proceeded to poke and prod the hay stack with forks and sticks. After nothing was found by the guards, they proceeded through into the courtyard where the wooden blocks started to move. As the guards left, Allan, John, Diaq and Much pushed out of the blocks and breathed heavily with their hands on their knees.

"Man did it get stuffy in here" said Allan laboriously

"I think I have some hay stuck on my shirt. They're itchy" said Much slowly as he started to itch his back, one hand holding his jaw whilst trying to get some sort of comfort from the hay that had slipped down into his shirt. Of course there was no such relief.

"Come on Much, stop laying about! We have to save people"

"I reject the fact that you all think that I am just someone who lays about and talks about food!"

They all just stared at him

"Fine then!"

And with that rant, the whole group shifted in the direction of the prison until they heard the most unusual noise erupting. Soon the whole castle was starting to shake as they watched townsfolk enter the courtyard and guards cheering and clapping in rhythm coming out of the castle.

"Oh. my. lord."

--

John started beating the coins sack in between his hands as a tambourine and started to stamp out a steady rhythm. Gavin joined in clapping along , gesturing to the three others to start clapping as well. One of the curled up masses of fear started to make rattle noises in time with the beat on the jail bars even. As soon as the beat was collective, Mark rose up and started to play the guitar and started to sing

"When I had you to myself

I didn't want you around

Those pretty faces always made you stand out in a crowd...

By that time, the prisoners started to get excited and hummed along to the song as guards stopped what they were doing and listened to them. Mark saw this as the chance.

"...But someone picked you from the bunch

one glance was all it took

Now it's much too late for me to take a second look"

And that beat, she nodded to John and which point they kicked the jail cells and with a crash the iron doors came down on the chorus beat. From which, Mark, John and Gavin began to slowly exit out of the cells as the guards hooted. Mark began to smile broadly as Gavin inched backwards and applied the acid to the doors of the other three prisoner's hinges.

"...oh baby give me one more chance

(to show you I love you)

won't you please send me

back in your heart.

Oh darling I was blind

to let you go

now since I see you in his arms

I want you back"

And after waiting another 4 beats, All three doors were ripped in a similar fashion, whilst Mark had continued to sing and keep the song alive. More and more guards seemed to come and join to watch Mark, Gavin, John and the new three instrumentalists sing Jackson 5 songs. Anyways it was the song that Allan and her had together, and it seemed fitting that she should play it when tomorrow was the anniversary of his disappearance. The six started to head out of the cells, guards starting to lead and follow them as the crowd started to get bigger and bigger.

Trying to live without your love

is one long sleepless night

Let me show ya girl

That I know wrong from right

Every street I walk down

It has tear stains on the ground

following the girl

I didn't even want around

They turned onto the corridor that led to the courtyard that Mark remembered when she was imprisoned. There she saw her bow, and other stuff that Gavin had carried in one of the corners. She nodded for Gavin to collect them but as he did, Maid Marian came out of one of the doors, mouth open wide. As the guards started to fill the courtyard ahead and Gavin had collected their stuff, Mark traded the guitar with Gavin for her bow and Gavin continued to play with their gear slung on his back.

Oh baby give me one more chance

to show you that I love you...

Mark then approached Marian whilst singing and took her hood down as the instrumental began. Maid Marian started at her in disbelief.

"What the world is this?"

"An escape, without running or fighting. A singing escape! Isn't it just GREAT!... Now what is with this guy?"

"What?"

"Why are you marrying Guy?"

"Why is it your business?"

"it is every right my business"

She took off her wig, and Marian just looked at her, shocked even more

"W..w..w..who are you?"

"I'm...a relative. Well...a relative...um...a cousin with some anger over YOU. marrying. GUY!"

"Well i have to marry him"

"Why?"

"Who ARE you?"

"I told you a relative!"

"Name?"

Man was she annoying. Mark took a deep breath. She hated saying her titles, they always took too long...she started anyway, hoping maid marian would believe her.

"Marian. Lady Marian, Princess and defender of..."

"Marian? Princess and Defender?"

"Hey there is more than one Marian in the world you know! And YES I AM a defender! A quite GOOD defender..."

The instrumental was close to closing and Mark began to get shifty, if she didn't get back to her song, soon it would fall apart and strand them in the middle of nottingham castle with a crowd of guards.

"Tell me more"

didn't give up did she?

"Haven't got time to explain really. Now are you going to help me escape or do I have to pull you?"

"Well..."

Mark sighed as she did the final touches to her hair, she left her hood and wig down and pulled Maid Marian into the courtyard. It was full of people, cheering:

"I WANT YOU BACK, I WANT YOU BACK, I WANT YOU BACK..."

--

When the woman pulled the hood and wig down, Maid Marian's jaw dropped. She was looking at herself, dressed as a man except something was different. Something unexplainable...

She had a richer voice, one of calm and unshakeable certainty. Her stance showed confidence, and possibly show-offness. Her neck was cluttered with necklaces of different shapes and lengths. Were they PURE silver? It looked like it. But there was a...feeling around her, A glow. It felt like as long as she was there things would be okay and problem-free. As long as she was there, she was fine, and that the world would be too. She stared into her eyes, they pierced her body and looked into her heart and soul, but that wasn't just all.

They looked like Robin's eyes

--

--

"SON! YOU HAVE DONE IT!"

Lord Guy of Gisbourne had never been more proud of his son. For once in that boy's life he had done something that had worked. He rushed through the richly furnished hallways to the bedroom of the person in question. And with an evil flourish of his hand (he liked his evil flourishes- that looked oh so cool in the mirror) the heavy door was flown open on it's squeaky hinges.

There he was.

Lying face down on his bed.

Holding a photo in one hand and his phone in the other.

He had laid himself out in a crucifix shape.

Muttering incoherently.

Well there blows that proud feeling he had for his son.

It wasn't gonna last for long anyway.

"Boy get yourself up! What the hell ARE you doing?"

"ummhumm"

"What?"

"I'M WALLOWING IN PITY AND BEGGING FORGIVENESS LIKE EVERY PERSON HAS THE RIGHT TO DO SO WHEN THEY DUMP A PERSON AND ARE HAVING DOUBTS ABOUT WHAT THEY DID" Guy shouted into the silk pillow covers

"really?"

"yea"

"I don't see how that fits into 'ummhumm' do you?"

"well I said it fast"

"no you idiot you just mumbled. NOW GET UP!"

Guy pushed himself off the pillows and sat down cross-legged as his dad leaned against the bed-side.

"Now we are going to do some archery practice"

"May I ask why father?"

"Because I said so! And also I anonymously called some tabloids about the situation. Ooh! The publicity! Perfect isn't it? Anyway, I am not having the family name slandered on papers because you can't even shoot the target yet won a bet against Locksley. That will bring suspicion up."

"t..t.t.t.t...tabloids?"

"Yes"

"But Marian has lost me and if this plan goes through, her estate! She's lost so much through her life you know father. What if we just..."

A ring of 'we will rock you' interrupted the conversation, coming the black block still in Gizzy's hand. He turned the phone over in his hand

_Marian_

Gizzy squeezed his eyes shut as he pushed the talk button, and put the phone next to his ear. He could only bring himself to hiss almost silently

"h.h.h.h.h..i?"

"Mr Gizzy?"

It wasn't Marian, it was Sophia who helped look after Locksley manor with Marian's companion/butler/target/test-subject Gavin. Gizzy sighed. She was woman of her twenties that Marian found working a part-time job as a checkout girl at a supermarket. Marian offered her minimal work at the manor, including accommodation at more than checkout girl wage-More than alot of wages really. Of course Sophia had accepted gladly.

The manor was occupied with several people that Marian had helped through time and had offered jobs and accommodation to. From cleaners to odd-job people were working at the manor. Although these people really didn't work that often-regular holidays were common.

Sophia was Marian's clubbing mate (and always dressed a little too skimpy for Marian's liking on a saturday)- along with head chef Raymond (known as Rachel-and always wore pink knee length boots).

Raymond always scared Gizzy a bit.

The looks he gave him always made him feel awkward.

Very awkward.

Gizzy noticed suddenly that Sophia had been calling his name several times. He replied hastily,

"yeah?"

"Phew there...thought I was talkin' to a ghost there!"

Sophie's voice quivered even though it sounded like she was pretending to be fine.

"Mr Gizzy...have you been in contact with Lady Marian lately?"

This couldn't be good

"No sorry"

The breathing hitched on the other line

"Why? Has something happened?"

"Lady Marian has not turned up for Lunch or afternoon tea, or even for the biscuit break. She hasn't called once to hold the Tim tams for her, nor has Mr. Gavin turned up."

Oh no.

Marian never missed biscuit break.

Something was definitely wrong.

_**To be continued**_


	6. Escape Job II: Searching for a lost soul

Chapter 5.2 (six really)-The Escape Job Part two: Searching for a lost soul

It is interesting how a sentence can affect one person.

Ranging from disinterested to amused to annoyed to worried, words can affect one's feelings, even upset their mind state, or their body.

For Sir Guy Of Gisbourne, the words he heard on his phone had now troubled him greatly, leading him to rest on his four poster bed for support as his father tried to question what was wrong.

"Son? son?"

He had now started to approach his son cautiously and held onto his forearm- no response, just a sharp intake of breath from the head that had retreated into it's black lapels. This lack of "words" annoyed him greatly, leading him to shake his son and call to him in greater volume.

"SSSSOOON! STOP BEING A NANCY AND TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON?!"

Still there was a silence of words.

The father left him to walk to the door before being stopped by an arm.

"It was Sophia, Marian's head maid"

He turned his head to look at his son, squinting his eyes at him for his lack of response.

"That common girl? Well, what did she say?"

"Marian is gone"

"Where?"

"That's it. Gavin and her are just gone. Disappeared."

"Well maybe she is just getting over the voicemail, cooling off somewhere"

"No. She missed biscuit break father"

"And?"

"She never misses biscuit break. She's GONE"

And to be modest, at these words, Sir Guy Of Gisbourne Senior exploded.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Being the Sheriff of Nottingham is very hard work.

You have to yell at people.

And be all bossy.

So since the "namby-pamby" guards were searching for Gisbourne to no success, and with an execution to attend tomorrow, this Sheriff decided to take a long nap.

After all his eyes were starting to look baggy- the stress of Locksley was starting to show and he needed to keep his image going.

Unfortunately he couldn't get to sleep.

He twisted around in the silk burgundy covers and clutched the pillows to his ears with no prevail. Some....racket outside was vibrating the very walls of his chamber. With a sigh he rose and in his most booming voice he screamed,

"GUARDS!"

but no-one came.

"YOU IDIOTS! GUARDS HERE AT ONCE!"

and still no reply. He stormed out of his bed, crashing his bird-cages as he opened the doors, expecting to see two armoured figures beside it.

Instead he was greeted with more noise, cheers and claps and music. And no guards by his doors. In fact as he travelled down all the corridors, no guards in sight!

_**Where are you you....cowardly idiotic fairy bloody....**_

He walked into the courtyard only to collide into the guards that should be by his chambers.

They didn't notice him at all, they were to busy clapping and swaying.

The courtyard was packed with guards, peasants, even some nobles who were planning to visit the sheriff but were instead dancing and shouting. There were people who had climbed onto the watch posts and all along the castle walls- all surrounding the execution platform. And on this platform...were a load of prisoners singing and playing instruments to a song he never heard.

There were two Marians there too-one dressed as a man- whose clothes he recognised as the person to be hung tomorrow. Nobody seemed to care that that woman was dressed like that

_**How strange.**_

_**Hmmmmmm.......**_

_**That second Marian can sing though - has a very strong smile.**_

_**Nice eyes too.**_

_**And her clothes work for her...**_

_**STOP IT HEAD!**_

The anger that raged through him was immense- he tried to shout and bang at the guards to be heard but was not. In the end he tried to calm himself and once he came back into his respectable state, something happened.

His foot started tapping along to the beat.

_**Stop it.**_

His palms started slapping against his sides.

_**STOP IT**_

For some reason his body was acting on his own accord. It would stop only to start again before it was cheering with the rest of the group like his rank did not matter.

"Ooh Baby give me one more chance..."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marian couldn't believe what she was seeing as the "Princess and Defender" hauled her up to the platform and began to sing again- she was looking at her as if Marian was supposed to do something.

The song was catchy and Marian couldn't but start to sway a bit.

The relative smiled at her in a way she couldn't help but respond to and sang to the crowd, her lips still curled upwards.

Marian started to dance more, and let herself feel the music. The woman started to call the crowd to sing out, to which they answered vigorously.

She leaned over to Marian's ear and whispered

"Keep dancing, and follow my lead."

Holding her musical instrument in one hand, she took a sack off her belt, loosened the tie and sprinkled the contents into the crowd - gold pieces! The crowd shouted louder, clapped and jumped as the woman and the other people stepped into the crowd engulfing them. Marian followed as people clapped and the singing continued. The song came to it's end as the group finally made it's way to the front gate where they all bowed. The woman also named Marian said in a booming voice

"I am glad you enjoyed this! I wish you God's blessing and happiness for the day. Here is a token to help with Nottingham's troubles!"

She took another loosened bag of gold coins and let the contents stretch out into the crowd, her smile never leaving her face. She bowed again and as the crowd were trying to follow, she ushered the group to run out to the side of the castle, to a pair of horses. She turned to Marian

"And that my er......cousin is how you escape Nottingham castle singing!"

She was still in shock.

"Hello? Hullllllloooooo?"

Marian snapped out of her gaze

"Yea?"

"Thank you for helping me"

"What did I do?"

"You participated. You danced. You had fun. What else?" She somehow thought that answered the question- Maid Marian did not.

"Uhh...my pleasure"

"cool. Please tell me why you are marrying Guy of Gisbourne?"

"You never forget these things do you? I have to"

"But WHY?"

"I just have to"

"Urgh! You can't marry him"

"Why?"

"You.....just can't!"

"Well I have to!"

"Why do you have to?"

"Why must I not?"

"Um excuse me ladies?"

The both of them turned to the men in front of them. Lady Marian walked up to one of them to say

"Sorry John. Here have this. Now all of you go back to your families and get out of here okay?"

She handed all the prisoners some coins. After getting over the shock they left running shouting thank you in the distance. Only one man remained by Lady Marian's side and had now proceeded to climb upon one of the horses.

"Would you like a ride home Maid Marian?" said the lady-she was already upon the other horse in no time.

"No. I will walk"

"Fine then. I will be back cousin. You need to know about the whole situation"

The tone was almost chilling despite the smile it was hiding behind.

Those words made her believe that that woman who looked like her would be back, and it would be very soon.

She watched as the two horses galloped down the alleyway towards the forest, and she turned away, convincing herself that Guy was a man of good qualities: a worthy man, a man she would marry to save her father, robin and herself- All the way home.

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"Gavin I think we are here for more than one reason"

"Oh really my Lady?"

They were riding through the forest tracks casually-Lady Marian had put her hood back up and was carving some pears up with her fruit knife. Occasionally she would try and feed pieces to Black Lightning by bending over rather dangerously and hand some pieces to Gavin

"Of course. Maid Marian is not meant to marry Gisbourne. That's obvious"

"Are you sure?"

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone is entitled to choose who they want to marry, and you cannot choose who you fall in love with. And certainly some distant yet remarkably similar looking relation from the future can't tell you what to do. It is Maid Marian's life, and if she loves Gisbourne, she should marry him. Whether you say so or not my Lady"

"But she doesn't love him!"

"How do you know?"

"I just know! When I asked her-more than once- why she was marrying him she would say she HAD to! Like she had no choice in the matter-if she loved him she would tell me. I have the feeling she has been forced to do this and she is trying to love him to make up for what is happening in the situation. I am sure that Guy probably has some good intentions inside of him, and that is twisting her mind! What is interesting is how he had disappeared though" she finished biting into a fruit piece and looking at the tree branches above her

"Would that be another reason why we are here then my lady? I am glad we are out of that prison and I know that you slipped me happy pills mixed in that cup of juice a moment back to calm me down and I am out of my senses but how are we going to find him? How are we going to get home? We have no idea how we got here!"

"What?"

"You weren't listening were you?"

"No. Sorry what did you say?"

"What is the other reason we are here for then?"

"I thought I saw someone"

"umm?"

"In the crowd back at the castle. I thought I saw......I'm not sure but maybe.....................

..oh never mind..."

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Much was now shouting at the top of his lungs and jumping up and down with the music. The group had been boxed in with many of Nottingham's residents from all classes enjoying the music that the group on the platform were supplying. Djaq was swaying along holding hands with Will. John was tapping his stick and moving sort of awkwardly from side to side trying to push off the people squashed next to him. Allan was looking around his point for the person he wanted to see.....had wanted to see for 9 years. He saw guards clapping, people hanging off the balconies but not what he wanted.

Then two people jumped onto the platform: Maid Marian and........maid Marian?

Allan looked at the woman-dressed in the clothes of mark, hair slightly longer, and what a voice she was putting out.

She stood differently to maid marian.

It was her.

He knew it.

John had now stopped "dancing" and he and Much pushed to reach Allan

"MARK'S A WOMAN?!" Much shouted. It was the only was they could communicate

"OF COURSE SHE IS! THAT'S HER!"

"THAT GIRL YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IN AGES?"

"YEAH!"

"I THOUGHT SHE WAS DEAD"

"SO DID I"

"THEN HOW COME SHE IS THERE SINGING? YOU DIDN'T SAY SHE LOOKED LIKE MARIAN!"

"I DON'T KNOW. BACK THEN WE WERE LITTLE AND I AM HAZY ON EVERYTHING STILL. WE HAVE TO GET TO HER"

What Allan said wasn't any joke or question, it was a demand. The group that were just sprinkling gold coins into the crowd had now reached the front gate and were sprinkling more coins into the crowd once more. Even though the song had ended, people were cheering and Much kept saying how he was sure at the back he could see the sheriff in his bedclothes shouting.

'SHE IS RICH ALLAN YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT" said Will. They snuck up behind him although he hadn't noticed. He was watching her as she talked in a rich voice-putting her miles away from the striking resemblance she shared with the person next to her. She bowed and as she lifted her body back up, they crossed eyes.

Just for the briefest of moments it looked like she saw and recognised him before swinging her head back, and running off.

He wanted to reach out to touch her. See if she was real.

He called out and tried to get out of the huge crowd to catch her.

He struggled to push past the workers and guards and by the time he made the side of the castle he saw her run to...

she was gone.

Was she real? Was she even there? He kept running down alleyways and streets, pushing out the returning citizens like a madman.

Nothing.

After he couldn't run any longer, he crashed himself into a cottage wall only to crumple to the ground holding his necklace in his hands, breathing deeply.

Much, Little John, Will and Djaq finally caught up with him only to stare at the state the man was in.

"She's not there. She's not anywhere-I saw her and I know I am not mad. It's like all those years ago: She just disappeared. I KNOW she was here. Where is she?"

He finally brought himself to look up at the people who were now surrounding him in sympathy.

"Where is she?"

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"WHERE IS SHE?"

"I don't know father! Could not possibly not shout into the phone so loud?"

"I CAN'T HELP SHOUTING WHEN I'M ANGRY! NOW YO...."

Gizzy had to hold the phone away from him before he felt he would become deaf in one ear if he kept listening to his father.

He looked across at the staff of Locksley Manor gathered by the grand double staircase. All had kept their heads down, those with hats held them across their heart. Even Ray-sorry-Rachel's grandmother Mary: the previous head cook was present leading sadly on her walking stick. Sophia had now taken to eating biscuits constantly for comfort. She held a packet of mellow-puffs in her hand that was nearly empty. The team of gardeners that looked after the grounds had picked flowers to lay at the foot of the tapestry that showed the family line at the top of the stairs.

"Look I know I haven't known Marian as long as all of you, but don't you think you are overacting? It has been five hours for goodness sakes and you are acting as if she was dead!"

Sophia began to sob

"Ooh. I didn't mean that....I well...Don't just cry....I just think that we need to search more"

Rachel popped up

"Who do ya think ya are sugar-puff? We HAVE searched: everywhere in fact! The whole grounds, the clubs, the alleyway she likes to go down if she wants to take the long way home, the RSPCA, even Sherwood forest! SHE. IS. NOWHERE!"

Sophia sobbed even more and began to lean into Rachel who took her in his arms.

"What would Marian say if she heard you talking like that eh? After all she did for ALL of you, and don't think you can count yourself out of that equation"

"I was born into my position"

"And she was willing to let you do what you want: She said you could be what you want, despite what her father had always said the necessity for uniforms. She BOUGHT you those pink boots for your BIRTHDAY you...ponce! We can't give up!"

Rachel had taken a few steps back, let go of Sophia to fall upon stairs with him.

"I know darling I know it's just...I don't know what we can do. What DO we do?"

The house was silent but for the crackle of Gizzy's father still yelling in the phone, as if his son had been listening the whole time.

Mary the old cook tapped her walking stick

"We wait. Locksleys always come home. So, we wait"

"Okay then Mrs. Much, we wait" Guy replied. The rest of the manor nodded slowly in succession.

"Good. I'll put the kettle on"

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"...I WANT YOU TO FIND THAT STUPID LITTLE TWAT OF AN ECCENTRIC ARISTOCRAT AND BRING ME HER ESTATE ON A PLATTER YOU HEAR ME? I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS NONSENSE AND I WILL NOT STAND FOR THE TABLOIDS TO THINK THAT WE HAVE BUMPED OFF A NATIONAL 'TREASURE', NOT TO MENTION BRITAIN'S DEFENDER TO GET HER BLOODY HOUSE! YOU FIND HER! YOU MAKE HER CRY AND YOU GET HER MONEY NOW! YOU STUPID SON-MAYBE MATILDA WAS RIGHT WHEN SHE SAID YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE A LEARNING DISORDER WHEN SHE NURSED YOU! 'CAUSE YOU HAVEN'T LEARNT TO KEEP YOUR FATHER HAPPY!"

He slammed the receiver into it's holder with a huge clatter, as the phone fell off the table onto the floor. He muttered to himself as he stormed through the passageways to reach the family room door.

He turned the brass handle and walked slowly into the room- it was full of portraits, family crests in various sizes but most of all a huge portrait of a man in black leather, leaning on his sword with both hands looking off into the distance with black hair framing his face. Underneath this there was a plaque that read

_Sir Guy of Gisbourne_

_Head of Arms for the Sheriff of Nottingham_

_Defender of the Law._

The man clasped his hands together and stood in front of the painting, head tilted upwards to look at the face of the picture only to say in a low, dark whisper

"You wished vengeance on the Locksleys. They gave our family pain...

We will take back what we deserve.

And you will get your revenge..."

To be Continued

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AN: I finally got over a writer's block I had for a while but I am back and I will finish my story now. I hate to leave things unfinished. That reminds me of my other stories....oops.

Review! Enjoy!

Next Chapter: Life on Mars with the Locksleys

....

"ALLAN! I KNOW YOU ARE HERE SOMEWHERE! WHERE ARE YOU YOU DISAPPEARING ERR.....what's the word I am looking for here Gavin?"

"moron my lady?"

"yeah! WHERE ARE YOU YOU DISAPPEARING MORON! ARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!"

"Nice touch with the grunt my lady"

"Thanks Gav"

...


End file.
